


The Black Paintings

by T2Boy2



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: AU, Halloween, elsamaren, frozen, frozen 2, very loosley Based on True Events
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:14:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27105553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/T2Boy2/pseuds/T2Boy2
Summary: Elsa can not resist heading a call she better should have left unheard!
Relationships: Elsa/Honeymaren (Disney)
Comments: 16
Kudos: 17





	1. Am I Sleeping?

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, so here is my Halloween fic. At least some of it. The rest will be finished soon but I could not wait to share this so have fun!

Why had he headed that call! Why had he listened to that voice? Why had he not stayed hidden? He should have known that it was a trap but his heart .....oh his stupid heart had doomed him. And maybe not only him.....

He felt so old, his strength fading by the minute, but he had to keep going or…..no, he could not think of what would happen if he stopped!  
Work or die, don’t stop – fill this black wall with all you’ve got just don’t stop, don’t stop.

His mind was agony itself! A cacophony of dread and sleep-deprived haziness, his sanity hanging by a thread, something in him that needed to get out, tearing at him from the inside. It hurt, it hurt so much.

Fill the black wall with all you’ve got! Don’t stop!

If you do......no better not think of that.

So he did not stop, drew and drew, his hands covered in the dry, dark paint, a sharp contrast to his ashen skin, gray-white from the lack of sun, rest and nourishment.  
Yet he kept going for he knew what awaited him if he stopped. Even if he never dared to think this far ahead, only the next stroke of his brush in mind.

He did not know how long he worked already.

One week? Two weeks? Months? A year?  
Long enough to fill the black walls around him at least, to twist them into a mirror of the world, the world how he saw it now – a mess of deformed limps and hideous monstrosities, deeds of unspeakable evil, pain and death painted on the walls of his home.

Just don’t stop! Fill the black wall with all you’ve got! Don’t……even though every second he kept going would bring them closer to a fate worse than death - his fate already!

Had he unwillingly sentenced them already? Oh, his poor -

He stopped.

One heartbeat.

He had done his last stroke. The paintbrush was shaking in his fragile hands.

A second heartbeat.

He was finished.

A thousand heartbeats all at once, like a thunderstorm in his chest, a fear so strong that he thought he must drop dead any second!

But he was not so lucky.

He was still alive, his heart still beating frantically as the wide-open eyes of the deformed shell of the thing he had just created on this black wall, focused on him.

**_Two Months Later_ **

The phone rang, again and again, shrill and unpleasant in the otherwise peaceful night. Elsa Winters woke with a sudden jolt even though the phone had been ringing for quite some time, just like something had given her a jib against her arm or rough shove to wake her.

The young woman was disoriented for a moment, the familiar room spinning around her and sharp pain in her head made her wince as she turned on the light on the nightstand. Waking up with a headache was luckily not a normality for Elsa, but still, every time she had, something extraordinary had occurred.  
Not necessarily unpleasant, sometimes it had been more than beneficial for her, yet no matter what it was it was always remarkable, memorable, and in some cases life-changing.

Elsa had known once about this little oddity of herself or was at least close to knowing it as a four-year-old could be before the gentle guidance of her parents and the kind advice of her grandfather made her forget this helpful fact about herself, replaced by misbelief that she was just sensitive to the weather at times.  
So she had no clue as she sat up with her head throbbing painfully, that something was waiting for her on the other end of the line, something that should have been impossible.

“Hello, Elsa Winter's speaking,” she said automatically, still too tired to feel much of anything, maybe a slight hint of surprise of being called at this hour and discomfort thanks to her headache but the second she ended her little greeting, the same she used since she was a kid, something ice-cold settle in her chest, panic bubbling up, nearly making her let go of the phone in her hands as suddenly, out of the complete silence that had greeted her a sound could be heard, like a cracking in the line? Or was it the dry rustling of leaves? Elsa could not tell but for a terrible second, it got louder and louder, almost sounding like a growl or moan of anguish, before another loud crack in the line gave way to a much more pleasant voice.  
A voice that was familiar to the young woman since birth, sweet and tender like she always had been, like nothing had changed since she had last heard it.

“Elsa?”

“Mom?”

Elsa heard herself speak but she could barely recognize her own voice. Raspy and sore!

“Yes, little snow.”

It was her, her voice without a shadow of a doubt and her softly spoken words ripped and old wound wide open, a wound caused by another call not even a year ago! Her head was throbbing with pain now.

_'Miss Arendelle, there had been an accident.'_

“What?”

“Little snow, stay away from the house.”

_'Your parents did not make it. And we could not find your grandfather's body but it is most likely that he.....'_

The headache got worse, almost cracking her skull open as her sleep-deprived mind finally caught up with what her heart had already understood!

Her mother was on the phone! Her mother, who had died alongside her husband one year ago in a terrible accident close to the old house of her grandfather, the same woman she had buried alongside her father in the family grave was calling her!

But it could not be! It could not be her.

“Who is this?” Elsa Winter's asked, hating how high pitched her voice sounded and how much her hand trembled at this obvious tasteless joke!

“Little snow, Elsa, don't come -” her mother said, tenderly but there was something desperate in her voice too, until a loud crack made the woman on the other end stop, And Elsa found herself greeted by a deafening silence, so loud that It nearly split her head open!  
Then her mother spoke again, sweetly, kindly – causing Elsa's heart to squeeze painfully.

"Mother?"

“Yes darling, it is me! Come home soon!”

_'Home? What?'_

Words, buttery syllables that were meant to draw Elsa in, and she caught herself what the best route to her old family home was, the house of her lost grandfather she herself had pronounced dead after two years after his disappearance. Yet a tiny part of her was frozen still in Ice cold terror!  
And then, whoever was on the other end of the line, ended the call.

Elsa's mind was empty as she desperately tried to figure out what to do before something wrapped itself over her troubled mind like a warm blanket and she bareley registered through her numb mind how her trembling fingers dialed the number of her sister.

**_The Next day_ **

Elsa woke with a jolt! Or at least she thought she was waking up. Had she been slepping? She could not tell....

The tapping of Anna's finger against the wheel sprang into focus. It drove Elsa up the wall!  
She got that she was nervous, unsettled even, but Elsa was also sure that there would be a logical explanation for all this.

„Anna, are you ok?“

“What do you think?!”

“Well....”

“Yeah, exactly that, sis! That is a lot to take in!”

“But you believe me?“

“Of course I do! It's just.... are you sure it was mum?”

There was something in her sister's voice that worried Elsa, even though Anna obviously tried with all she had to not to let it rise to the surface.

_'Please don't think I am crazy!'_

“A hundred percent!”

„ Ok, so we just go there, take a quick look around, most likely finding nothing or I just right hook a huge asshole to oblivion.“

Her voice was too high to be normal, Elsa was sure now. Guilt burned her throat, the thought that she was the reason of this distress nearly unbearable.

“Something like that. Thanks, Anna.” Elsa said, hoping she could bring across how thankful she was not be written off as a raging lunatic, how much it meant to Elsa that Anna was with her here now even after her hectic rambles on the phone.

“Anytime!” her sister said, but her voice sounded a little strained: “We just drive there and confirm what we already know. I mean what is the worst that could happen?”

Her sister tried to speak calmly but at the time she was stepping on the gas, driving faster and faster with each word.

“Anna?”

“It's just a prank! What else am I right! So hilarious to use the voice of our dead mother just to scare you into oblivion!”

Anna was yelling now as she drove even faster.

“Anna, please! Slow down!”

“But -”

“No! Stop this car!”

“But we are nearly there!”

“I said stop this car right now!”

Elsa said a little more forceful the necessary, but she was not going to let Anna kill them just because she was too emotional to drive.

To her surprise, her normally so headstrong sister obeyed immediately, slowed down and stopped at the side, even though it was barely necessary. The road they had taken was empty. As far as Elsa could tell they were alone her.

It was a clear but cold morning, even a little sunny outside – Elsa's favorite weather. And the forest still possessed the same stunning beauty she remembered from her childhood days. Suddenly the strong wish they would just turn this car around, drive to anywhere but here, seize this day, drowning her current sorrows in memories of happier days, was nearly overwhelming, but there was no way Anna would agree to it now. No chance she would just agree to build a snowman and drink hot chocolate afterward.

Elsa watched her sister, who looked so small all of the sudden. With her hands on the wheel, her face resting on them, back tens and shoulders high she looked just as tired as Elsa felt.  
It was a heartbreaking sight and suddenly anger filled her and she vowed that whoever made this unbelievable tasteless joke would pay!

Carefully Elsa placed her hand on Anna's shoulder and took as a good sign that the redhead did not shook off her hand.

“I am sorry for yelling but you were driving so fast, I don't know about you but I don't want to die in a car wreck.” she tried to joke, failing tremendously in her opinion but it was enough to make Anna laugh breathily as she lifted her head, and Elsa was shocked as she saw tears streaming down her sisters face. Without thinking she folded her arms around the only person left of her family, both of them last remnants of a once proud and old family line.

But that was not what was important now! She needed to focus on her sister, find this humungous asshole that playing this prank, and then finally move on with her life.

“Look, why don't you let me drive the rest of the way? You could close your eyes for a moment?”

“That does sound wonderful.”

With a smile Elsa tenderly squeezed her sister's shoulder before stepping out of the car, enjoying the cool air that hit her. One look down the streets told her that they were indeed close. Halve an hour, tops. A short nap for Anna but better than nothing.

A sharp rustling sound made Elsa turn. Something was moving through the forest towards them and fast, but before she could decide what to do something huge with four legs came out on the street, giving Elsa nearly a heart attack. She could hear how Anna jumped out of the car behind her and something clicking before her brain finally understood what she was looking at.

It was a young girl on a reindeer, dressed in a traditional Northuldra jacket but underneath she wore modern-looking clothes and warm looking boots. Her gaze was serious and her expression strict making Elsa think of someone much older and stood in sharp contrast to her adorable freckled face and the cute braid that looked complicated and must have been woven with great care. She was around 6 maybe seven, but quite tall for her age, her remarkable light brown eyes, slightly wide but not fearful as she looked at something behind Elsa.  
As the blonde turned she saw her sister standing there honest to the goods revolver in hands, luckily not pointed at the girl, yet with her finger on the trigger.

“Anna? Put that thing away before you hurt someone!”

“Relax, it's only for protection.”

“From what? Her?” Elsa asked pointing at the girl and her unusual mount.

“No, but from whoever has been calling us!As far as we know there could be a serial killer waiting for us there.”

“Wait, you were so against that we call the police but you brought this thing along?”

“Pffft, like the police would have taken us seriously. I just want to see what's going on with my own eyes.”

 _'No, you want to check if mother is waiting there.'_ Elsa thought and she knew she was right. This sad longing Anna tried to hide so desperately was almost touchable now and to her great shame, Elsa realized that she shared this longing. So how could she blame her baby sister to feel that way? Maybe this trip and the inevetable relasation that there was nothing worthwhile waiting for them, would help to accept the passing of their parents.

“You are going to the house.”

It was no question from the girl but a statement.

 _'Pretty obvious when you think about it.'_ Elsa thought. When one would walk on in this direction there was nothing but wilderness for miles and miles. Only if one was really lucky he or she would stumble over a Northuldra settlement, just like her father had so long ago, meeting and falling in love with their mother.

A love story right out of a fairy tale – only the ending was no happily ever after.

“Yes. Sorry for the rude welcome. I am Elsa by the way. The house belonged to my grandfather and we just want to check something there. And who are you?” Elsa asked kindly.

The girl hesitated for a second, the strict expression remaining on her face but something softened in her eyes, yet her shoulders remained tight.

“I am Gelwa.”

“Nice to meet you Gelwa. Where are you off to? Have you settled with your tribe here for the winter?”

“No, we stay here now to watch-” she interrupted herself there, looking guilty like she had said too much but she caught herself quickly.

”Don't go to the house! Better to stay far from it.” she added and it sounded like it had been hammered into her, like all these tiny unwritten rules you learned as a kid. Wash your hands before dinner, be polite to older people and, in the girl's case, stay far from the house. And this little fact made Elsa's insides turn to ice more than the strange calls she had been receiving.

“Sorry Kiddo, but this is our house and we go here when we want to. It was nice meeting you though. Come Elsa!” her sister abruptly ended the conversation, walked not to the passengers sat down with a sigh.

The blond looked at her sister a bit surprised, it was not normal for her sister to be borderline unfriendly to a child - as if Elsa needed another proof something was up.

“Please, don't go! At least not today anymore. It's going to be dark soon. You can come with me and stay the night! Plwas?”

There was something in Gelwa's voice that made Elsa almost reconsider, something desperate but Anna honked three times in quick succession, startling the reindeer a bit but the girl despite her age, was a good rider, easily managing to settle the animal.

Elsa threw her sister a dirty look. Was this really necessary? But as she turned around to apologize to the girl she found that she had almost vanished back into the woods, her soulful brown eyes begging Elsa to listen to her, heed her warning before rushing off, letting her reindeer run at a mad speed.

A few moments the coldest Winter's sister allowed herself to look after the young girl, something heavy setting in her stomach. Then she gave herself a little push, taking her place in the driver's seat, looking at Anna with a raised eyebrow while putting her seat belt on.

“What?”

Her sister sounded defensive, as always when she knew she did something wrong but just did not want to admit it.

“Was this really necessary?”

Anna did not answer, just looking straight ahead, a stubborn streak around her jawline.

“And what is with the gun? ”

“Look, whoever called you is clearly a sick fuck and I am not going there without proper protection!”

There was some truth in these words Elsa had to admit. And so she let it go, for now, started the car, and drove off to their destination.

The house was old but well build and Elsa was impressed at how well it had survived the hardships time can bring an unattended building, the nearly set sun gave it a pleasant orange glow.

15 years was a long time and for so long the building had just sat there, alone and rotting, the memory of spending some childhood summers in the old manor, almost erased out of Elsa's mind.  
But it was quickly coming back to her. The building had looked better back then, its facade painted in a beautiful creamy white, the roof a rich brown and the huge garden surrounding it had been well kept, with flowers so bright, their pleasant aroma filling Elsa's nose, no matter if she was sleeping in a very comfortable bed or if she played games with Anna.

It had been a careless time, as the two sisters had been chased by her mother in a wild game of tag before sitting down to eat a wonderful dinner her father had prepared, while her grandfather had stood a little to the side, standing tall in the bright sun, his shadow long as he lost himself in his work, filling the canvas before him with beautiful drawings her had gotten famous for.

Runeard Winters had been renounced across the land of Arendelle and Northuldra as one of the greatest artists ever to life, already famous for his light-hearted designs for the royal tapestry manufactory before he became the court painter for King Mathias and Queen Aleana of Arendelle. The position may had been an old-fashioned remnant of the time the monarchy had been more than a symbol, yet it was still perceived as the ultimate proof of skill for any artist to be recognized by the royal family in this way.

He had been strict to himself, his work ethic unyielding but fair and kind to his granddaughters, showing Elsa, who always had a great interest in painting herself, a lot of tricks and technics one understands quickly but take years to master.  
Sometimes it had been tricky for an eight-year-old Elsa to grasp what Runeard had tried to show her, but he had reminded patient, holding her hand, guiding the brush or pencil in Elsa's hand over the paper.

Yet she liked to think that she had learned fast and her fingers itched in a funny way to paint this house in front of her, capturing its essence, like her grandfather always had said.

But with Anna marching up resolutely to the house, her strides long and impatient, Elsa was brought back to the task problem at hand.  
She hurried to follow but as she entered the hallway she nearly bumped into her sister who stood stock still. It was hard to believe what she was seeing.

The walls were black and painted directly on them were two murals directly painted on them.  
Depicting a dark scene of a billy-goat preaching to a group of humans with deformed faces and almost reverent expressions on one side and two women cruelly mocking a man in a white coat, there smiles too wide to be natural.

“What in the name of...” her sister trailed off, clearly disgusted by the art on display.

One look was enough to tell Elsa that this was her grandfather's work, no doubt even though it was hard to believe that the man who made such lighthearted pictures and detailed portrays of nearly all members the royal court had to offer, was also capable to draw such deeply pessimistic outlooks on the world.

Elsa was still slightly shocked as her Anna took a deep breath, continuing her resolute march through the house her voice loud and the blond suddenly wished she would be whispering instead.

“Hello! Anyone here? Any sick fucker who thought it was funny to torture someone grieving??”

She was already around the corner and when Elsa remembered correctly it was the way to the main living room and as the young woman hurried to follow her sister she found her memory confirmed. Yet it was a sight to behold even though not a pleasant one!  
Deep black walls greeted them, even though Elsa was sure they had once been a lovely green color and painted on the wall on the right was another mural of a woman, naked, her legs spread obscenely, but her eyes were black holes like craters smashed into her face, her mouth wide and just as black, grinning down at them.

For a split second, and for the life of her she could not say where it had come from, she thought of their mother, even though this creature could not be further from this sweet and beautiful woman.  
But then it got darker and darker in the room, and upon realizing that the sun had nearly set completely her headache that had been lurking behind in a little painful spot on the back of her head, spread so suddenly that Elsa had to grip Anna's shoulder for balance, the painful throbbing nearly rendering her blind for a moment.

“Elsa! Are you ok?”

The voice of her sister was muffled, like she was speaking from far away and as Elsa was able to see again she could not explain why the simple fact that the sun had now set completely filled her with terror, unlike anything she ever had felt before.

And as she turned back to the wall that only moments ago had shown this offputting picture the feeling intensified. She barely heard Anna's sharp intake of breath, barely felt the vice grip her sister suddenly had on her arm as she turned her towards the mural of the naked woman.  
Or better where it had been a second ago.

The black wall was empty.

Honeymaren Nattura, or Maren as most people called her, was a good hunter, even though she did not love it. It was a necessary evil to feed her people in hard times but it brought her no pleasure to lurk in the shadows and kill an animal with a well-aimed arrow.

But these were hard times.

Sadly for her and deadly for the deer peacefully grazing, not bothering anyone. She had stalked the deer almost all day, waiting for the right moment to strike. Mindful that she did not touch the shotgun next to her and spook the deer at the last moment, she got just a little bit closer.  
She didn't like the weapon, even though she could handle it well, but a gun like this was essential when the residence of the house roamed the woods close to the house at night.

_'No, not now! Concentrate Nattura or your people go hungry soon!”_

Carefully she drew the bowstring, aiming carefully, and -

“MAREN!!!!”  
\- let the arrow loose, aiming too high, missing the deer by a long shot.

Gelwa came rushing towards her, making Nutmeg go at full speed and Maren's anger vanished as she saw the panic in the girl's eyes.

“What happened?”

“The Winter -Sisters are going to the house! They acted weird already.”

Maren's eyes widened and even though she had a thousand questions she knew there was no time!  
The sun had nearly set.  
Without hesitating she whistled for Vakker, her huge almost black reindeer fastened the bow around her shoulder again and grabbed the weapon.

“Get the others! I ride ahead and see what I can do for them. Go and stop for nothing!”

Gelwa nodded, made Nutmeg turn north, the speedy animal running like the wind.

Maren went the opposite direction, pleading with Vakker to go as fast as she could, and even though her reindeer made the way through the woods and onto the grounds in record time the sun had already set as the young woman deftly jumped of Vakker's back and ran the last paces to the door of the house.

As she touched the door handle the screaming started.


	2. Trough The Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A night full of terror awaits!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally updated !! So proud of myself that I managed that...only after two months 😅. I will write the prompts of light and love first before the last chapter of this will be come so be patient and enjoy the holidays.  
> Take care :-)

It was like being frozen in fear, her blood cold in her veins! How could a mural just vanish? What was going on?  
Her head was pulsing now, every little sound her shoes made as she turned to Anna, the insane hope that maybe her sister had an answer to this madness gave her pained mind hope. But it was not only the scared eyes of her sister greeting her but also the black gaping holes the mural had for eyes.  
And in that silent second, before Anna turned around and the mural leaped for them, it came to Elsa that this was no mural anymore. A real mural was on a wall and, no matter how disturbing it may look, nonthreatening.

 _'Please don't move.'_ Elsa thought desperately, the funny belief that all would be ok if her sister, herself, and that thing just kept still, like the blanket over the head of a small child was able to keep even the worst dangerous at bay.

But then Anna turned around, breaking the spell and with an almost graceful leap and a weirdly sensual scratching like it was enjoying what it was doing, she came at them.  
Anna screamed like Elsa never heard anyone scream before and why was she, Elsa not screaming? What she saw was maddening, so why was she not doing anything? But she was frozen stiff, her blood rushing in her ears.

_'Do something!!!'_

And with surprising swiftness her body obeyed, pushing Anna aside, meeting the thing head-on.

 _'What are you doing?'_ she thought as she went down in the onslaught, her sister's screams in her ear mixed with the joyful shrieks of the creature as it almost tenderly reached for her throat and Elsa desperately grabbed its wrist, pushing upwards, sensing if this thing got to lay her hands around her neck she was done for!

Anna had stopped screaming, and it sounded like she was looking for something in her pocket and for a crazy second Elsa thought she was looking for her small pocket mirror she always checked her hair with while she wrestled with whatever this thing was but then she heard a click and she remembered the gun she had brought along. With all she had Elsa hoped Anna was a good shot but before her sister had even the chance to aim dozens of steps could be heard and accompanied with muffled clacking of hooves came rushing in at great speed. Elsa could not see much from her position on the ground, but Anna was clearly struggling, something heavy fell on the ground and was kicked into the far corner of the room – the gun. Anna screamed again and Elsa could do nothing to help, as her sister was overwhelmed, dragged by many hands away from her and now her screams were a blessing because Elsa could tell that she was still alive! But they got quieter and quieter and Elsa saw the feet of the whole group leave the room, vanishing somewhere deeper into the house.  
And as she lay there fighting for her life, unable to do anything to help her sister or even herself, a wired peace came over her, the strength in her arms fading, these crooked and strong fingers reaching own for her throat.

 _'I will die like this.'_ Elsa thought numbly, not ready for what was to come.

Quick, and light steps, someone was running in the hallway, heavy boots muffled by the thick carpet and then a metallic scratching sound and her attacker raised her upper body up to see who had come. A loud bang that relived Elsa of the terrible burden but blinded her for a second. With her ears ringing, a strong hand grabbed her by the arm and pulled her on her feet, not letting her go, dragging her along, out of the living room.

While running her eyes slowly regained focus again and Elsa was greeted by the strong back of a woman, a small bow hanging over her shoulder, a quiver at her side and the hand that was not holding Elsa held an honest to the goods shotgun.

_'What in the-'_

There were back in the hallway now, but the woman did not pull her to the main door but to the left, right, right again before opening a small door shoving Elsa inside closing the door behind them, easily pushing the huge dresser in front of it, making sure it was blocked before turning around, and cold fear gripped Elsa's heart again.  
The features of the woman were unclear like someone had moved a hand over a still wet portrait. That thing may had saved her from the monstrosity in the living room but probably only so she did not have to share her prey. As her mind went haywire to find a way out, Elsa noticed how the hand of the woman moved to her belt unfastening something from it.

'Knife or worse!' she thought and in hasty panic she scrabbled as far away as she could, hitting an old desk with her back looking for anything to defend herself. There was only and old paperweight covered in dust, but it was better then nothing. Garbing it Elsa turned around, not ready to fight but she would at least try. But a strong hand grabbed her wrist in a tight grip and Elsa's makeshift weapon fell to the ground with a dull thud, the horrible face so close to her own.

“Please don't!” Elsa heard herself plead, not recognizing her voice at all, as it sounded so tiny and frail.

“Easy. I am not gonna hurt you but you have to drink this.” the thing spoke, her voice so beautiful, rich, deep and smooth like honey and then a small bottle was shoved into Elsa's mouth, the hand that had held her wrist, let go, forcing her to drink, leaving swallowing the terrible brew the only option! The taste was horehounds. Vile and bitter, leaving almost the same pelt like quality in her mouth that vomiting brought along. And she almost did vomit as the hand moved from her mouth, coughing and retching but whatever it was stayed in her stomach, sending a strange heat through her body, pulsing and unfamiliar but weirdly enough, not unpleasant.

“Better now?” the woman asked and Elsa quickly tried to get more distance between them and to her surprise the other stepped back,giving her space. Elsa looked at her again, avoiding her face with great care. She stood at the other side of the room, holding her hands up showing that she was no threat, yet all Elsa wanted to do was to run as she heaved in breath after breath, as far from the terrible, contour less face as possible, still scanning her surroundings for a way out.

“Hey, it's ok now. Elsa is it?”

That made the blond stop dead in her tracks.

“How do you know my name?” Elsa asked, eyes on the feet of the other.

“The girl you met on the way here.”

“Gelwa?”

“Yes, she told me that you head for the house. Even though she did not need to tell me your name. All of the Northulra know who you are.”

Elsa did not know what to say to that! What had the Northuldra had to do with all that? How was she supposed to get out of here -

“It's really ok now, you know.”

“What?”

“To look at me again.”

The voice was friendly and even though Elsa still had her eyes glued to the other's boots she could hear the smile in her voice.

“What was it for you? The bones or the faceless thing?”

At that Elsa looked up, surprised that the woman had an idea of what she had seen, her body recoiling already in anticipation of horrible things before her eyes and brain caught up with reality.

There was no formless mess anymore but a face with clear contours, full lips, an elegant nose and beautiful eyes, a warm and rich brown almost like -

 _'Embers? No, not that...'_ Elsa thought, trying to find the right word yet her mind drew blank, knowing only one thing! She could trust this woman, even as all circumstances told her to be careful, not to trust anything she saw, her heart knew that she could trust this stranger that smiled kindly.

“The faceless thing.” the admitted quietly and the woman winced sympathetically.

“I am sorry for getting so close then, but you needed the drink or the illusion would have remained. Are feeling better? Can you walk?” the woman asked, already fastening her the bottle on her belt again, before reloading her weapon with practiced ease.

It was too fast, her brain not really processing what was happening, and even though she knew in the back of her mind that she needed to do something to help her sister, she was not even able to ask more detailed questions than a strangled: “What?”

It was nuts to waste time like this! Anna was in danger but Elsa could not move, her mind refusing to work

“Ok, listen – I know this a lot to take in and if we want to help your sister I have not the time to explain everything but this place, this house....it dangerous! Whatever is painted on the walls comes alive when the sun is down, as you probably have noticed. We don't know how or why but we try to keep people away as good as we can since....it got a few of us....” at these words her eyes got a sad tint to them, but she quickly regained control over herself, straightened her shoulders before continuing:”..this place.....it draws you in, makes it hard for you tell what's real if you are not careful and know what to look for. Like the Illusion with my face? That is only a little trick it has up its sleeve.”

“What?”

It was all Elsa could muster, her mind just as ragged as her heavily-drawn breath.  
Brown eyes got a tint softer, and as a small, understanding smile was send her way Elsa had the ridiculous wish, that she had met this woman under different circumstances. It took great effort to listen to what she said next.

“Can you tell me how you came here?”

“With the car?” Elsa answered, unsure where this was going.

“No, I meant do you remember how you packed your things? How did you get in the car? Anything on the way here?”

 _'What kind of question is - '_ but in mid-thought, she realized that the other was right!

She remembered the call of her mother, she remembered how she phoned Anna.....but after that – nothing!  
Absolutely nothing! No clear memory of how she dressed, how she got into the car of her sister. Just blackness until she had woken up in the car disturbed by the tapping of Anna's finger against the wheel. She had not been sleeping at all, had she? Had she already been in some kind of trance?

The other woman seemed to able to read her mind:“Someone called you, right? Someone close to you?”

Elsa could only nod, dumbfounded.

“And after that – nothing?”

_'How can a stranger know these things?'_

“I remember that I called my sister but then.....” Elsa said, shaking her head slightly, admitting that the other was right was like missing a step. The sensation of falling even though she was standing firmly on the ground made her sick.

Warm eyes and voice were like a lifeline Elsa clung to.

“How about we get your sister, get out of here and then I tell you all I know over a hot coffee? Sounds good?” the woman asked, offering a hand to the blond.

Elsa nodded, taking the hand in hers, loving the sturdy feel of it, a surprising comfort in this terrifying night.

“Do you know which one of them got Anna?”

Elsa chided herself for being surprised that this stranger, knew her sister's name.

_'She knew yours too, you idiot! Think more about the fact that there are more of these things!!'_

“There was the goat-preacher from the hallway.” It was the strangest thing to say and even in these threatening circumstances Elsa nearly laughed at how insane it sounded!

_'Don't think too much about it or you go crazy!'_

“Fuck! I hate this guy! Do you know how to shoot?”

Elsa shook her head again and was surprised and somewhat disappointed as the other lead her hand to her belt for her to hold on tight, so she could handle the weapon better.

“Ok, stay behind me, don't let go and follow my lead.”

For a second cold fear gripped Elsa, the horrible feeling of cold, long fingers at her throat made her chest feel tight.

Then she thought of Anna, scared, alone with these things......

Elsa took a deep breath, straightened her shoulders, further encouraged by the even voice of her unexpected ally, reassured her as much as was possible under these circumstances.

“Let's go.” she heard herself say and the approving look on the smaller woman's face was another boost for her courage.

But before she let the other woman led her back into the hallway, facing whatever was lurking out there, Elsa pulled a little at the belt, strong enough to make her stop.  
The woman turned, asking a silent question with her eyes.

_'What color is that? Brown does not fit well enough!'_

“What's your name?” Elsa asked, suddenly realizing that knowing her savior's name who was risking quite a lot yet again to save her sister was probably a good thing.

“Honeymaren.”

“Elsa.”

“I know.” Honeymaren smiled.

_'Honey! That's it. Her eyes have the color of molten honey.'_

There was a smile on these full lips as Honeymaren opened the door to the hallway, bravely stepping out into the dark, Elsa sticking close behind her.

It was silent in the Hallway. Nothing that told you of the horrors lurking here. To Elsa, it felt almost peaceful now, beautiful too, such a stark contrast to what had happened and what she was about to do.  
Yet she could feel it, this house had not always been like this. Once it must have been a happy home, like so many others.  
But then they turned to the left and all changed in flash! It was like a dark void reached for them, falling over them in a long drawn out-breath, and Elsa grabbed on to Honeymaren's belt tighter. She could see nothing, nothing at all, neither Honeymaren's back nor her own hand, just nothing! Panic was raising Elsa's chest and she almost jumped as Maren spoke to her.

“Don't worry. That's normal here in this hallway, but it's the safest way outside. Just don't turn on any light.”

The way she said it made it clear that she knew what she was talking about and Elsa wondered how often she had spent a night here, among the walking murals.  
Elsa could not answer, the words were stuck in her throat, her hand numb from holding onto the belt tightly.  
Suddenly Maren stopped, so Elsa bumped into her. A warm hand found her shoulder, squeezing it gently.

“Elsa, breath.”

And like she had just needed to be remained Elsa took a deep breath, and with every intake, her racing heart calmed a little.

“In, out. Good, just like that. You are doing great.”

“Do I?” Elsa asked, doubting the truthfulness of Maren's words.

The hand on her shoulder wandered down her arm until it reached her hand and held it.  
Such an innocent gesture, and even though the hands were calloused, they were warm too, grounding Elsa further.

“Yes, you do! Believe me.”

Elsa really wished she could Honeymaren's face right now.

“Come, only a little further and then we get your sister and out of here.”

That sounded more than good and Elsa nodded vigorously until she realized that the other could not see that.

“Sounds great.” She hurried to say, the light laugh Honeymaren gave her like a call back from another time, another world, where it was not dark and frightening.

“Good. Don't let go.” and with that she let go of Elsa's hand and grabbed her weapon again, carefully leading them through the dark.

Even in pitch blackness Honeymaren easily found her way and soon the blond saw the end of the tunnel. Quite literally.  
There was light ahead, but not the soft, welcoming kind. It was so bright that it hurt the eyes, even more so after the long period of darkness. But it was also not electrical light, Elsa realized, it was moving too much for that.

“Shit, they got the fire going already,” Honeymaren said, and before Elsa dared to ask what that would mean for her sister, her companion pulled her quickly along, stopping before they could step out of the hallway so Honeymaren could check if the coast was clear. And then Elsa heard it.  
A crunching sound, strangely familiar yet she could not place it. Cold terror reached for her heart, her sister suddenly gone from her mind, and slowly her grip on Honeymaren's belt loosen, drawn to the sound like a moth to the light.

But her savior grabbed her hand, held it tight, and pulled her out of the darkness.  
Silence!  
The sound was gone, and Elsa's mind and heart free of this pull she would have followed.  
“What was that?”

“I don't know but believe me, neither of us wants to find out. Let's get your sister.”

She checked her weapon one last time, gesturing Elsa to stay close before leading her out, through the back door into the garden.

It took a moment until Elsa's eyes got used to the bright light of the bonfire, but still, she could see the shadows moving, some in a frantic rhythm, a howling, absolute inhuman in the air, and among all this chaos rang a voice Elsa was more than familiar with.

“Let me go, goat-breath!!”

“Anna!”

Elsa through caution to the wind, rushing past Honeymaren, not caring that she had nothing to fight with.  
What she saw as her eyes had finally gotten used to the new light conditions, made her only run faster, The goat, standing on his hind legs, dressed in a wide cloak, holding a knife in its human hand, long as Elsa's lower arm, while the other hand raised a bowl high kin the air. Surrounded by its followers it stepped closer to her sister, who had been bound on hands and legs, unable to move away quickly, yet still defiant, struggling against her bonds, throwing insults after insults against her captors.

The goat-preacher stepped even closer, his intent clear and Elsa did something very brave and very stupid.  
With all the strength she could muster she rammed into the goat-preachers side, catching it so off guard that fell over, right into some of his followers – it almost looked comical. But Elsa did not stop to see more, grabbing the knife that had fallen to the ground, turning to her sister, cutting loose the robes around her hands and feet.

There were tears in Anna's eyes, a wild mix of fear, relive and gratitude played on her face. Her voice was failing as she spoke:” Oh Elsa, you are ali- HOLY FUCK, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR FACE - “  
She stopped there, her eyes wide, fearfully looking at something behind them.  
Elsa did not turn around, just shielded her sister with her body, already bracing herself for the pain but then Honeymaren appeared behind them, shotgun raised.

“Ears!” was all she yelled, and both Arednelle sister's pressed their hands on their ears.

Two loud bangs cut through the night and into the crowd of nightmares, loud shrieks rose to the heavens, and Elsa was glad she had her back to the awful sight.  
A strong hand helped pulled her up, pushed her forward, and as she turned she saw how Maren hauled Anna up as well.

“Quick! Get back to the hallway! This won't keep them long.”

Elsa obeyed, grabbing Anna by the hand and both ran to the house.  
She could hear two more shots and she hoped that Honeymaren was following them.  
They got back into the house and had almost reached the corridor but a loud screeching from the right ringed in her ears.  
A door opened There she was, the eyeless creature again, or whatever she was, something like a surprise on her features, and Elsa knew the only reason she had not attacked yet was their sudden appearance. But the thing got over the shock quickly, already moving in on them with quick strides.  
In flash Maren was with them again, raising her weapon against the new threat. And even though there were no visible injuries from its last encounter with a shotgun, the thing did not seem eager to repeat the experience.  
It stopped in its onslaught the same moment Honeymaren pulled the trigger and a click fell between them, like the punch line of a very cruel joke.  
The thing smiled viciously.

“Shit.” Elsa heard Honeymaren curse. There would not be enough time to draw her bow so she just gripped the shotgun at the barrel, using the handle as a freaking club.

_'Is she going to fight this thing with this?'_

But Honeymaren gave her no time to find out, she turned, gave Elsa the small bottle she had forced Elsa to drink out of, and pushed them resolutely into the dark hallway, blocking the entrance with her body against the approaching enemy.

“Go!” she said, her eyes fixated on her opponent who had crouched down, like a predator ready leap for its victim:” Always straight ahead and then keep left. Get of this house. I take care of this!”

Elsa allowed herself a second to look at the woman who had not only saved her but also her sister, literally holding the line so they could get away, her back straight and strong, like a very unconventional version of the knights Anna had loved to read about as a kid.  
As the remnants of the goat followers came swarming through the back door, crawling over each other in a sickening mingle of limps, Elsa looked away.

Not bearing to see the outcome of this encounter and not wanting the sacrifice of this brave woman to be in vane she grabbed Anna's hand and ran further into the black.  
As the sounds of the struggle got quieter and quieter, soon only her sister's barely contained sobs were the only things she could hear.

She just wished could have looked into these eyes one last time.

The darkness got thicker around them and they had stopped running. Elsa was afraid she had managed to take a wrong turn somehow. The space around them felt so much bigger than before and it felt like an eternity since they had started walking in the dark. Had taken so long with Honeymaren? Elsa could not remember.  
She had given Anna something of the vile tasting drink.

“Who was she?” Anna asked, clearly trying to gag. Her voice suddenly echoed, like they were in a huge hall and both sisters flinched.  
That had not happened as she walked through this hallway with Honeymaren by her side. What was happening now?  
And why were Elsa's hands tingling all of the sudden?

“Her name was Honeymaren. The girl on the road, Gelwa, told her where we were going and she came to help.”

Elsa did not need to see to know that there were fresh tears in Anna's eyes, the hand of her sister held on tighter.

“What is going on here?” Anna whispered, sounding just as distraught as Elsa felt.  
But she had to stay strong, find the way through this and bring her Anna to safety.  
Honeymaren had died for it and she would not let anything happened to her sister.  
She straightened her shoulders and pulled Anna along.

“I don't know but we must get out of here and find the Northuldra! We have to tell them about Honeymaren and maybe they can give us answers.”

Anna was quiet for a while.

“She was so brave.”  
Suddenly Elsa felt tears burning in the corner out of her eyes.

“Yes, she was.”

And then there was it again, the crunching noise, but louder this time, so much closer. The sound had such a funny pattern. First, a loud crunch, combined with something tearing, followed by much quieter, shorter crunches, just like something was -

“What in the name - “ she heard Anna next to her, heard how she roamed around in her pockets and before Elsa understood what her sister was doing before she could stop her she turned on the light of her phone.

What they saw was beyond description and Elsa felt her sanity almost slip, a mad, primal fear rising up in her.

There against a the black of a wall, far higher then it should be, sat a huge form of something that could not be called human anymore even though it had some resemblance to one and for a mad second it even looked strangely familiar,  
But this moment passed as Elsa saw what it held in its hands.

This was no human, It could not be. It was a crazed and frighted monster, his huge hands holding a decapitated body, its finger buried into the spine of the corps, its black mouth opened over the elbow of the left arm and bit it off, right at the joint.

There it was again. The pattern. Big crunch, wet tearing followed by many slammer crunches.

It had been this thing the whole time.....sitting there just a few steps away, its body crouched in an uncomfortable position, looking from a dark place, feasting on its last victim.

It still chewed as it realized that Elsa and Anna were there, and as it threw the dead body carelessly away, the look on its face not one of a satisfied hunter, but a cursed soul, forced to do something it hated, over and over again, an eternity of despair.

It was mercy as Anna dropped her phone and the light went out again. Not only was the horrible sight gone, but in the sudden darkness, Elsa saw a spot that was even darker then already pitch black surroundings. Knowing that they had only seconds, Elsa ran towards this black opening, pulling her sister along with her, the loud, deep wailing mixed of the thing started his pursuit behind them making both sisters run as fast as never before in their life's.

Still, the thing was close on their heels.

It was their only chance, their only hope that Elsa had chosen the way correctly, and right before they reached their goal Elsa thought for a mad second they would just ran into a solid wall, but it was not so.  
Elsa had made the right choice and they steps and the frantic beating stopped echoing as they passed the threshold.  
They ran straight ahead, reaching the end of the hallway, keeping left just like Honeymaren had told them, reached the front door, ripped it open and were finally outside.  
But they did not stop, they kept running straight for their car!

Then many things happened at once!

A window on the ground floor burst with a loud crash and as Elsa turned to look she saw that Honeymaren had jumped or had been thrown through it, landing hard on the ground.  
Elsa could see that her weapons, shotgun, and bow were gone and that she looked badly beaten. Yet she almost got up immediately, stumbling forward surprisingly fast to escape the quite teetered looking eyeless thing that leaped after her.

The main door was unhinged by a great force and the monster that had been lurking in the dark came out of the house like a spider out of a crack in the wall, seeing Maren as well and, seemingly not caring who was its next victim made its way towards her too.

Elsa stopped, Anna rushing past her a few paces before realizing what her sister was doing.  
They looked at each other and it was a testament of how well Anna could read her as she spoke:” Elsa, don't. You can't help -”

Elsa knew it was absolutely suicidal what she was about to do but she could not just leave.  
With an apoplectic look for her sister, she turned around, ran towards the nightmare, like only a lunatic would have done. She could hear Anna course behind her but she did not stop to see what she was doing.  
As she reached Honeymaren, she seemed beyond grateful to see Elsa again, leaning heavenly onto her for support, pretty out of it and Elsa saw that her leg was bleeding badly.

Elsa looked behind them. One look was enough to know that they were dead women walking. The monster of the hallway was close but the shrieking eyeless creature was even closer,and now Elsa could see that an arm was missing.

“Honeymaren must have put up a hell of a fight' Elsa thought and dragged the almost unconscious woman with her.

 _'At least Anna would make it.'_ Elsa thought numbly. She had not followed her into certain death.

Suddenly there was light, two bright ones, blinding Elsa.

 _'Have I died already?'_ Elsa thought but then she heard the loud rumble of a car engine, and the scratching of wheels as someone drove at high speed.

Anna drove past them, hitting this damn thing with full force, and it flew back a few meters before landing hard on the ground. Then with a stunt that was almost worthy of a movie, Anna turned the car and returned to them, reaching behind her and opened the door for the back seat.

“Get in! Get In!”

With a mighty effort, Elsa managed to get Honeymaren on the seat and Anna already turned the car and stepped on the gas as Elsa closed the door.

Anna was a good driver, but she did not need to be. The monster from the hallway did not follow them further. It just looked after them, the expression on its face so out of place that Elsa could barely believe what she saw.  
It almost looked relieved.

As Maren woke up she leaned against a warm body and slender, yet strong arms held her close.  
A familiar warmth on her cheek told her the sun was up!

How nice.....

She had made it and as she looked she saw that the Winter sisters had made it too. Anna was driving and Elsa was holding her, so Maren could rest comfortably against her.  
Oh, and Yelena, her chieftess, was there too, giving Anna directions.

How nice......

And as she looked outside she saw how they passed many of her tribe riding close on reindeer, all armed to the teeth.

How nice.....

She shifted to see better and maybe say hello but Elsa gripped on tighter.

“Don't move! You are badly hurt.”

Maren looked up, meeting these fascinatingly blue eyes, and smiled.

“Hey Elsa, still game for the coffee I promised?”

Elsa laughed lightly. What a wonderful sound.

“Keep it in your pants, Nattura!”

The stern voice of her leader was the last thing Maren heard before she lost consciousness again.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading guys. Tell me what you think and take care!


End file.
